7 Strategies to Reduce Churn and Help Your Fitness Studio Get Past 'Quitter's Day' with Walla

The boutique fitness industry is in the thick of the New Year rush. January marks a season of fresh starts, new goals, and packed classes. However, by the second Friday of the month, a phenomenon known as "Quitter's Day" often takes hold, with motivation dropping and 80% of members abandoning their fitness resolutions.

Quitters Day is when motivation for New Year’s resolutions wanes, leading to a noticeable drop in fitness participation. This trend can result in declining attendance, lower member retention, and lost revenue for fitness studios. Understanding and addressing the overall factors behind Quitter's Day is critical to maintaining member engagement and driving long-term success. By proactively implementing strategies to continually combat this potential new client drop-off, studios can sustain growth momentum and foster a stronger, more committed member community.

Here are ten actionable strategies to help your fitness business push past the second Friday of January hump—and keep new clients (and classes full): 

1. Launch a Progress Tracking Challenge

Over 75% of members are far more likely to stay committed when they see tangible results. Use Walla’s client milestones and class insights to create a timely, themed fitness challenge that emphasizes​​ consistency rather than perfection—and promote some of your top-performing (or even low-performing) classes to keep them full and interest high. Allow members to set personalized goals and track their progress in the app. Incentivize participants with rewards for milestones, such as attending a set number of classes.

TIP: Create a “20 in 30” challenge in which participants aim to complete 20 workouts in 30 days. Highlight achievers on social media and within your studio to boost morale and foster community pride. You can also offer them guest passes, empowering those members to bring new leads through your studio door.

2. Automate Personalized Reminders

Motivational nudges can be the difference between a member showing up or giving up. Use Walla’s personality typology and Marketing Suite automations plus journeys to send personalized emails and SMS reminders to reignite motivation with communication reflecting where they are from a member perspective. Automate emails and tap into built-in AI to tailor messages to individual goals, reminding members of their progress or encouraging them to try a new class.

TIP: Incorporate authentic, meaningful messages of encouragement, success tips, or links to inspiring content and client stories. For members showing signs of inactivity who are at risk of churning, craft re-engagement offers that invite them back with limited-time incentives.

3. Leverage Data for Early Warning Signs and Class Optimization

Walla’s analytics and engagement insights allow you to track attendance trends and identify members who haven’t been attending—and whether clients are really converting from your seasonal plan promos. By reviewing data in different reports, such as Class Attendance, Class Analysis, Left of Waitlist, and Class Intro Offer, your studio and staff can proactively use this information to reach out with personalized messages and offers, saving clients before it’s too late.

TIP: Segment members by attendance frequency. Create automated campaigns for those who haven’t visited in a week or two, offering a free guest pass or bonus class credits to entice them back.

4. Host an End of Month Reboot Wellness Event

Schedule an open house or fun, community-driven event the last week of January or early February designed to reignite motivation, create a sense of belonging—and keep all your new and existing clients engaged and connected. Use Walla to register and promote the event through app announcements, social media, and email. Create some buzz around the event with a giveaway and create a sense of urgency with limited spots available. Also, see how you can leverage local wellness practitioners or partner with other studios to collaborate and increase attendance, showcasing to newer members that your studio is just more than a workout.  

TIP: Hold a “Resolution Refresh” event featuring a high-energy group workout, nutrition tips, and goal-setting workshops. Include giveaways to boost attendance and engagement.

5. Offer Flexible, On-Demand Content and Class Options

Many members quit due to scheduling conflicts. Combat this with Walla’s on-demand video library and livestream classes. Offer digital access to virtual classes so members can maintain their routine from anywhere. Also, suggest a flex membership plan that includes 

TIP: Create a dedicated “Resolution Resilience” series that members can access on-demand. The series should focus on topics like consistency, overcoming setbacks, and short, effective workouts that members can fit into their schedules, no matter how busy they are.

6. Highlight Member Success Stories

Motivation thrives on inspiration. Share stories of members who have achieved success using Walla’s email marketing tools, like a newsletter. By sharing realistic accomplishments, you can showcase what new clients can achieve by staying committed. 

TIP: Post monthly spotlight stories featuring real member journeys. Include testimonials, before-and-after photos, or quotes about overcoming obstacles. Authenticity resonates and inspires others to persist.

7. Refresh Class Offerings and Instructor Engagement

Stale routines lead to disengagement. Use Walla’s class scheduling tools, instructor stats, and class performance data to analyze which classes consistently have the highest bookings and engagement, examine trends, and make informed decisions about which new themes, class formats, or pop-up sessions make the most sense for your studio audience.

TIP: Add surprise "mystery workouts,” themed days, or class additions (like sound bowl healing) that align with seasonal events, trends, or dates (like a full moon). Rotate popular instructors to add variety and keep the energy fresh.

Quitter's Day doesn’t have to define your January. With Walla’s powerful engagement and management tools, your studio can turn a period of potential drop-off into a launching pad for long-term member success. Implement these strategies to inspire, motivate, and retain members year-round.